This record was transcribed by Penny Bennett Casey from the "Pensions and Increase of Pensions", which pertained to the Bill that was approved in 1917 for pension benefits for the Indian War Veterans.

Pension Committee – April 20, 1922

Calendar No. 760,  67th Congress, 2nd Session, Senate Report No. 771

H.R. 7530

Mortimer S. Martin, Grangeville, Idaho, served during certain Indian campaigns in Capt. James Cearley’s company, Idaho Volunteers, from June 13, 1877 to December 31, 1878.  (Indian War Sur. 10688)

He filed a claim for pension under the act of March 4, 1917, as an Indian war survivor.  It was rejected on the ground that the records of the United States afford no evidence of the alleged service and his name is not borne on the muster-out rolls of the company which are on file at the capitol of Idaho.  However, those records do show his name on the informal roll or list of the members of the company.  It appears certain that he had the service claimed from the evidence filed, as follows:

 

State of Idaho, County of Idaho, ss:

On this 23d day of April, 1921 at Grangeville, Idaho County, Idaho, before me, A.W. Talkington, a notary public in and for said county and State, personally appeared Mortimer S. Martin, whose post-office address is Grangeville, Idaho County, Idaho, who, being by me first duly sworn, on oath says:

          My age is 73 years; I was resident of Idaho County, Idaho, in 1877, at the time of the Nez Perce Indian war and took part in said war as a volunteer in the company commanded by Capt. D.B. Randall and subsequent to his death commanded by Capt. James Cearley; I performed service as a member of said company during the whole campaign in Idaho in 1877.

          I am informed and believe that my name does not appear upon the muster roll of said company and that because of this fact I am not entitled to a pension under the provisions of the act of March 4, 1917; I make this affidavit in support of my claim for pension by special act of Congress for service as a volunteer in the Nez Perce Indian war of 1877.

                                                            Mortimer S. Martin

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 23d day of April, 1921

A.W. Talkington, Notary Public

 

I, Luther P. Wilmot, of 1056 Gladys Avenue, Long Beach, Calif., first being duly sworn, saith that I am personally acquainted with Mortimer S. Martin, of Grangeville, Idaho County, Idaho; that Mortimer is about 72 years old, and further that the said Mortimer S. Martin was a member of Capt. D.B. Randall’s Company B, Second Regiment of Idaho Volunteers during the Nez Perce Indian war of 1877, and further that the said Mortimer S. Martin was called out in 1878, when it was reported the Bannock Indians were coming through the Camas Prairie country, and further that the said Mortimer S. Martin was a brave, good, and faithful soldier.  Furthermore deponent saith not.

                                                           

                                                                      Luther P. Wilmot,

     First Lieutenant, Company B, Second Regiment Idaho Volunteers

 

 

 

State of Washington, County of Asotin, ss:

On this 22d day of April, 1921, at Clarkston, Asotin County, Wash., before me, Henry Elliott, a notary in and for said county and State, personally appeared John T. Riggins, whose post-office address is Clarkston, Wash., who, being duly sworn, on oath says:

          My age is 76 years; I am a pensioner (pension certificate No. 10303) under the act of March 4, 1917, for services in the Nez Perce Indian war of 1877; I am personally well acquainted with the claimant, Mortimer S. Martin, and have known him for 45 years and am in no wise related to him or pecuniarily interested in his claim for pension by special act of Congress.

          I personally know that the claimant, Mortimer S. Martin, was a volunteer member of Capt. D.B. Randall’s company of volunteers and rendered service as such in the Nez Perce Indian war in 1877; the claimant, Mortimer S. Martin, and I served in said company at the same time, both while it was commanded by Capt. Randall and when it was commanded by Capt. James Cearley after the death of Capt. Randall, who was killed in action at the engagement of Cottonwood, Idaho.

          I am informed and believe that the name of the claimant, Mortimer S. Martin, does not appear on the muster roll of said company and that for this reason he can not obtain a pension under existing law for his service in said Nez Perce Indian war of 1877; and I therefore make this affidavit to assist and claimant, Mortimer S. Martin, in securing a pension for such service by special act of Congress.

 

                                                                       John T. Riggins

 

 Subscribed and sworn to before me this 22d day of April, 1921

Henry Elliott, Notary Public

 

 

State of Idaho, County of Idaho,ss:

On this 16th day of April, 1921, at Kooskia, Idaho County, Idaho, before me Lloyd A. Fenn, a notary public in and for said county, personally appeared Cassius M. Day, whose post-office address is Kooskia, Idaho, who, being by me first duly sworn, says:

 

          My age is 69 years; I have known the claimant, Mortimer S. Martin, for 64 years last past, and that I am in no wise related to him or pecuniarily interested in his claim for pension by special act of Congress.

          I am a pensioner under the act of March 4, 1917, for services as a volunteer in the Nez Perce war of 1877.  I personally know that the claimant, Mortimer S. Martin, rendered service as a volunteer in said Nez Perce Indian war in 1877 and that said claimant, Mortimer S. Martin, was a member of the same company that I was a member of that year.

          I am not sure whether said claimant’s name was on the muster roll of that company, but I positively know that he belonged to the said company, which was at first commanded by Capt. D. B. Randall and subsequently to the death of Capt. Randall by Capt. James Cearley, and rendered efficient service as a member of said company during the continuance of hostilities in Idaho County in said year 1877.

                                                           

                                                                      Cassius M. Day

 

Subscribed and sworn to before me this April 16, 1921

Lloyd A. Fenn, Notary Public

 

It is believed by the committee that the facts presented justify the pensioning of claimant as an Indian war survivor at the rate of $20 per month, and it is so recommended.

 

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